Confinement system for high explosive events

ABSTRACT

A system for completely containing the energy, detonation products, and any other products of an explosive event. In its simplest form, the system comprises a thin-walled confinement vessel, having at least one access port, a closure for the port or ports, a support structure within the vessel for holding the explosive out of direct contact with the vessel wall, and a vacuum system for evacuating the confinement vessel prior to detonation of the explosive. By drawing a 500 micron vacuum within the confinement vessel before detonation, the amount of explosive for which the energy and products can be completely contained is typically doubled over that which can be contained at atmospheric pressure. One embodiment, useful for highexplosive studies, readily allows flash radiography of an event as it occurs. Another embodiment is particularly useful for the containment and disposal of bombs or other infernal devices.

United States Patent [191 Rogers et a1.

[11] 3,820,435 June 28, 1974 1 CONFINEMENT SYSTEM FOR HIGH EXPLOSIVEEVENTS [73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by theUnited States Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, DC.

[22] Filed: May 11, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 252,171

Primary ExaminerVerlin R. Pendegrass Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John A.Horan; Edward C. Walterscheid ABSTRACT A system for completelycontaining the energy, detonation products, and any other products of anexplosive event. In its simplest form, the system comprises athin-walled confinement vessel, having at least one access port, aclosure for the port or ports, a support structure within the vessel forholding the explosive out of direct contact with the vessel wall, and avacuum system for evacuating the confinement vessel prior to detonationof the explosive. By drawing a 500 micron vacuum within the confinementvessel before detonation, the amount of explosive for which the energyand products can be completely contained is typically doubled over thatwhich can be contained at atmospheric pressure. One embodiment, usefulfor highexplosive studies, readily allows flash radiography of an eventit occurs. Another embodiment is particularly useful for the containmentand disposal of bombs or other infernal devices.

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SHEET 9 [1F 9 CONFINEMENT SYSTEM FOR HIGH EXPLOSIVE EVENTS BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION The invention described herein was made in the course of,or under, a contract with the US. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISION. It relates toa system for completely containing the energy, detonation products, andany other products of an explosive event, and more particularly to asystem wherein, through evacuation of the confinement vessel, the amountof high explosive whose energy and products can be contained istypically doubled over that containable when the confinement vessel isat atmospheric pressure.

In the course of research directed at the highpressure hydrodynamicproperties of materials, it is necessary to resort to explosive drivensystems to attain the required pressures. From time to time it may alsobe necessary to examine toxic, noxious, or radioactive materials tocomplete the study of a given class of materials. Increasingly,considerations of safety, environmental protection, and long-termeconomics preclude experimental procedures that would allow suchmaterials to be dispersed into the air, onto the earth, or into water.

Aside from experimental consideration, there is also unfortunately anincreasing requirement in our society for a means of totally confiningthe energy and detonation products of bombs and other infernal devices.

Theart discloses no system for completely containing both the energy andthe products of an explosive event within a reasonably small volume whenthe size of the explosive detonated exceeds perhaps 1 pound. Althoughthe art reveals various bomb disposal systems for confining partiallythe energy and products of bombs, there is nothing to indicate thefeasibility or even the possibility of confining completely within areasonably small volume the energy and products of a bomb in the to 25lb range.

In US. Pat. No. 3,165,916, issued Jan. 19, 1965, Loving states that thestrength of the wall required to withstand the pressure pulses generatedby detonation of an explosive within a structure is a function of thevolume of the chamber, the kind of explosive detonated, the weight ofexplosive detonated, and the yield strength of the material of which thechamber is constructed. According to Loving, the empirical expressiondefines the equivalent hydrostatic pressure generated by detonation ofan explosive charge within the chamher. The constant K used in thisexpression depends not only on the strength of the explosive but also onthe completeness of reaction of the explosive under the conditions whichprevail in the chamber. Thus, although PETN has a higher availableexplosive energy per unit weight than does TNT, a higher value of K isused for TNT than for PETN because of the reaction with air of theinitial detonation products.

According to US. Pat. No. 3,165,916, a 17.44 lb charge of amatol highexplosive represents about the maximum charge that can be detonated in avented l2 In high-explosive studies involving the use of toxic orradioactive materials, it is often desirable to contain completely (thatis, with no venting) the energy and products of the detonation ofhigh-explosive charges in the 15 to 20 lb size range within aconfinement vessel substantially smaller than 12 feet in diameter.Further, a bomb containment and disposal system where the energy andproducts of the detonation of bombs up to 25 pounds in size arecompletely contained within a reasonably sized confinement vessel wouldalso have widespread utility.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION We have now found that by evacuating theconfinementvessel the amount of highexplosive for which the energy anddetonation products can be completely contained is substantiallyincreased. When the vessel is evacuated to a pressure of about 500microns, the energy and detonation products of typically twice theamount of explosive are containable than would be possible if the vesselwere at atmospheric pressure. Using this discovery, we have developed asystem for completely containing within a 6 ft-diameter confinementvessel the energy, detonation products, and any other products of thedetonation of more than 30 pounds of high explosive.

One embodiment, useful for high explosive studies, readily allows flashradiography of an explosive event as it occurs. A spherical, thin-walledconfinement vessel is provided which has a plurality of access ports.The plug for one access port is provided with a recess containing a filmfor recording radiographic data of an event. The plug for a second portcontains feedthroughs for electrical cables and a vacuum line. Aspecimen holder supporting a high explosive charge and materials to beacted on by the detonation of that charge is so aligned within theconfinement vessel that the detonation may be recorded by radiography onthe film at a time of interest. A specimen catcher consisting ofconcentric metal hemispheres may be used to dissipate the kinetic energyof metals driven to very high velocities bythe explosive event. Theconfinement vessel is enclosed within a safety vessel, and a vacuumsystem is provided for maintaining a substantial vacuum within theconfinement vessel and a partial vacuum within the safety vessel at thetime of firing. The whole system may readily be mounted on a trailer forease of transportation to and from a firing point.

A second embodiment, useful for bomb containment and disposal, comprisesa thin walled confinement vessel having a first large access port forplacing a bomb within the vessel and a second smaller port whichprovides feedthroughs into the vessel for electrical cables and a vacuumline. A support structure within the vessel holds the bomb away fromdirect contact with the vessel wall. The large access port has a quickclosure device for rapidly sealing the vessel closed once the bomb isinserted. This quick closure device may consist of shear n'ng segmentsactuated by hydraulic rams. A vacuum pump is provided for rapidlydrawing a substantial vacuum within the confinement vessel, and ahigh-pressure gas supply is provided for actuating the rams on the quickclosure device. Because of the substantial weight of the closure devicefor the large access port, a crane is provided to move it. Allcomponents of the system are remotely operated by an operator locatedbehind shielding means. Again the whole system is readily transportableby trailer or truck.

In either embodiment, the presence of a substantial 7 other infernaldevices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view partially in crosssection and partially cutaway showing the confinement system with a 3 ftdiameter confinement vessel as it is utilized for highexplosive studies.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway end view of the system of FIG. 1 with thedoor to the safety vessel removed.

FIG. 3 shows two partially cutaway views of a 3 ft diameter confinementvessel useful with this invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway end view showing the confinement systemwith a 6 ft diameter confinement vessel having a beryllium window.

FIG. 5 shows details of a specimen catcher, typical experimentalassembly, and support structure as used within the 3 ft diameterconfinement vessel of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative closure system for the ports of confinementvessels shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 which allows substantial momentumtransfer and thus a higher impulse loading on the port closures.

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a vacuum and bleeddown systemuseful with this invention.

FIGS is a perspective view of a confinement system useful for completecontainment of the energy, detonation products, and any other productsof a bomb or other infernal device.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional and schematic view of a quickclosure device which may be used with the embodiment shown in FIG. 8.

'DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 1. High Explosive Studies Anembodiment of this invention useful for high exsystem with a 6 ftdiameter confinement vessel and a somewhat different configuration.

In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 confinement vessel 1 is a spherical steel shell 2of nominally l-inch-thick mild steel (ASTM A5l6-70a, Grade 70normalized). While the scope of this invention is not limited tospherical or substantially spherical confinement vessels, it will bereadily apparent that spherical or substantially sphericalconfigurations are highly desirable in that they have the greateststrength. Vessel 1 has three access ports, 3, 4, 5. Port 3 is providedfor convenience sake for entry into the vessel to clean it or to recovervaluable metal that may have been used in an experiment. Port 4 providesaccess to vessel 1 for vacuum line 6. Port 5 is the main entry port forplacing an experiment within confinement vessel 1. Plug 7 to port 5 hasmounted within it a blast resistant film holder 8 for film packet 9.Plug 7 thus serves as a radiation window 10 that provides a minimum ofstructural material between the event and film packet 9. When toxic orradioactive materials are present in vessel 1 it is necessary to knownwhether window 10 has been ruptured by the event. Therefore film cavitytest ports 11 and 12 are provided through closure 40 to monitor filmenclosure area 13 before it is opened. Circumferentially arranged aroundclosure 40 in plug 7 are a plurality of electrical feedthroughs 41 whichprovide access to vessel 1 for firing cables, diagnostic cables,transducer cables, etc. The number of feedthroughs 41 will vary,depending on the type of diagnostics required from a particular event.

Support structures 14 and 15 for respectively experimental assembly 16and specimen catcher 17 are mounted on plug 7. Mounting to plug 7 isreadily accomplished by means of bolts 47 (see FIG. 5). Details ofspecimen catcher l7 and assembly 16 are given in FIG. 5. Assembly 16consists of detonator 42, plane wave generator 18, explosive 19, metalspecimen 20 to be driven by the explosive event, and alignment structure43 to hold specimen 20 at the desired location with regard to explosive19. It is essential that any explosive detonated in vessel 1 not be indirect contact with the wall of vessel 1 so as to avoid direct shockcoupling with the wall. Specimen catcher 17 is provided so thatsufficient momentum transfer occurs between it and specimen 20 toprevent penetration of vessel 1 by metal fragments. As shown in FIG. 5,catcher 17 consists of a plurality of concentric metal hemispheres 44,45, 46 separated from one another by spacers 48. Hemispheres 44, 45, 46which are typically made from copper form an umbrella configuration tocontain any splash or jet that might result from the breakup of specimen20 as a result of the explosive event. The use of a momentum transferdevice such as specimen catcher 17 is not critical to this invention;however, it is desirable when metal is accelerated directionally at anyvelocity, although velocities in excess of 6,000 ft/sec are quite commonin explosive hydrodynamic studies. Metal fragments impinging on the wallof vessel 1 at velocities this high may do substantial damage to thewall of the vessel orif sufficiently energeticpossibly even penetrateit. On detonation of explosive 19, metal specimen 20 is driven upwardinto hemisphere 44, and energy is dissipated in heating the hemisphereand in some cases in a change of state of one or both materials. Theimpingement of specimen 20 on hemisphere 44 imparts a considerablevelocity to hemisphere 44; however, substantial energy is lost in theform of heat and the combined mass is perhaps double that of specimen 20so that the velocity of the combined mass of hemisphere 44 and specimen20 is reduced by more than a factor of two. This process continues asthe combined mass strikes hemispheres 45 and 46 in turn. Energy isdissipated as heat at each new collision, and the velocity of thecombined mass decreases as each new hemisphere is contacted. Because theouter hemispheres are larger in size, there is also a reduction inspecific momentum as a function of area.

Attached to port 4 is a plug 49 containing a shock attenuator 21 whichprotects two remotely operated ball valves 22 connected in series.Attenuator 21 consists of three spaced plates 50, 51, 52 havingnonaligned paths 53, 54, 55 through them which provide a circuitous pathfrom the interior of vessel 1 to valves 22. This circuitous path servesto prevent direct shock coupling to valves 22 from the explosive eventwithin vessel 1. Vacuum line 6 loops from valves 22 to a penetration 23in safety vessel 24 (see FIG. 2). Line 6 then enters the vacuum systemshown schematically in FIG. 7.

Vessel 1 is securely positioned on dolly 25 by means of supportstructure 26 and clamps 27, 28. Dolly 25 is movable on track 29 locatedwithin cylindrical safety vessel 24. Access to safety vessel 24 is bymeans of door 30. Safety vessel 24 can be partially evacuated by meansof the vacuum system shown schematically in FIG. 7. When partiallyevacuated, safety vessel 24 serves to prevent the release to atmosphereof toxic or radioactive materials should vessel 1 vent as a result ofthe explosive event. Safety vessel 24 is intended only to preventatmospheric contamination if vessel 1 is breached. It is not intended tocontain vessel 1 if it is blown apart by the explosive event. Trolley 31is located within safety vessel 24 as a means of providing support toplug 7 as it is inserted or withdrawn from port 5. Safety vessel 24 ismounted on trailer 32 for ease of transportation.

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the system as adapted to the useof a spherical 6 ft diameter confinement vessel. The configuration shownin FIG. 4 is substantially similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 3,with the following exceptions. Plug 49 has feedthroughs 80, 81 forelectrical cable 82 and transducer tubing 83 for transducer 84.Feedthroughs 80, 81 serve essentially the same purpose in plug 49 as dofeedthroughs 41 in plug 7. In addition, vessel 1 of FIG. 4 is fittedwith an additional port 85 whose plug 86 contains a beryllium window 87held in place by closure 88. Because of its low Z number berylliumattenuates an xray beam substantially less than does mild steel. Port 85is aligned with port 5 on a common axis such that an x-ray beam 35entering through window 87 passes through the explosive event ofinterest and then impinges on a film packet 200 (see FIG. 4) in filmenclosure area 13. An experimental assembly may readily be alignedwithin vessel 1 so that x-ray beam 35 passes through the explosive eventat a desired point. This alignment can easily be accomplished bysuspending the assembly by means of a support structure from plug 49.The beryllium window assembly shown in FIG. 4 is not limited to use with6 ft diameter confinement vessels but may as readily be used with the 3ft diameter confinement vessel shown in FIGS. 1 through 3.

In FIGS. 1 through 4 all plugs are secured in their ports by means ofsocket head cap screws 90. In the preferred embodiment, cap screws 90are made of high-tensile steel (grade 5 or better) having eight threadsto the inch and conforming to A.S.A. specification Bl8.3-I96l. Althougheach port is shown with-a double row of these screws, the number ofscrews 90 shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 is not critical to this invention.It will be understood that substantially fewer screws might be used,depending on the size of the explosive to be detonated in theconfinement vessel. For ease of drawing, only the centerlines of many ofthe screws 90 are shown in FIGS. 1 through 4.

Although cap screws 90 are suitable for securing plugs within theirports in most applications, FIG. 6 shows an alternative fastening meansused to secure a closure of a vessel or other containment device whensaid closure is subjected to a high level impulsive load- 5 jected to ahigh impulsive loading, momentum transfer occurs between the plug andthe slug, the slug flies off, and the strain on the shear ring issubstantially reduced.

FIG. 6 shows the closure device incorporated into a port 116 of a vesselsimilar to confinement vessel 1 of FIGS. 1 through 4 used to contain thedetonation of high explosive charges. Actual closure is accomplished bymeans of plug 117 having an O-ring seal 118. Plug 117 may be constructedwith a slight taper to make it easier to insert into the port 116 to beclosed and also to limit the insertion depth. Other means ofaccomplishing such objectives will be obvious, however, to one skilledin the mechanical arts. Plug 117 is secured against the force ofexplosive or other impulse loading by segmental shear ring 119. Shearring 119 is assembled into groove 120 into port 116 such that to breakfree plug 1 17 must first shear ring 119. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 6, a shear ring is specified but it is intended that any shearingmeans may be used to restrain plug 117 including but not limited tocam-like segments that swing into a shear-ring-like configuration,plates that slide into the port groove, sprag-like struts that rotateinto a shearing configuration, and similar means that may be manually orpower activated.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6 shear ring 119 is held in place by a looselyfitting slug 121 held in intimate contact with plug 1 17. This contactmay be obtained by gravity if port 116 is vertical or by other lightrestraint means obvious to those conversant. with the mechanical artsfor other orientations. In an altemate embodiment the shear ring meansmay be restrained by a ring machined from rigid polystyrene foam thatalso supports a slug of reduced diameter.

When an explosive charge is detonated in vessel 115 the mass of theexplosive is converted into a mass of gas that expands with acharacteristic velocity. A portion of this mass of gas impinges on plug117. A momentum exchange takes place and plug 11.7 acquires a kineticenergy. If slug 121 is not introduced into the assembly the kineticenergy of plug 117 is transferred to port 116 through shear ring 119.The kinetic energy of plug 117 appears for a time as strain energy inshear ring 119. Shear ring 119 may be able to absorb this energy in theelastic mode; however, under the abuse of blast loading it may goplastic and deform to such an extent that the closure may be broken orthe closure means rendered unsuitable for future use. With slug 121 inplace there is an additional momentum exchange between it and plug 117.Slug 121 flies off and carries a portion of the incident energy with it;impulse is thus trapped and does not appear as strain energy in shearring 119. Experimental studies demonstrate that 34 to 41 percent of theincident impulse may be trapped with a fairly primitive embodiment suchas that shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the system used to produce therequired vacuum in confinement vessel 1 and safety vessel 24 and also tobleed pressure from confinement vessel 1 (and safety vessel 24, ifrequired) after an explosive event has occurred. The system may be usedwith either 3 or 6 ft diameter confinement vessels. Vacuum pump 92 isused to evacuate both confinement vessel 1 and safety vessel 24. To

evacuate confinement vessel 1, ball valves 22 are opened throughactuator 91 controlled by means of an electrical solenoid external tosafety vessel 24. Valves 93, 94, 99, and 101 are opened while valves 95,96, 97, 98, 100, 102, and 103 are closed. Pump 92 is then used toevacuate confinement vessel 1 to a desired pressure. Leakage in vessel 1may be periodically determined by opening valve 100 to leak detector106. In the preferred embodiment leak detector 106 is a massspectrometer. When the desired pressure is reached in vessel l, actuator91 is used to close valves 22, valve 99 is closed, and valve 98 openedto commence evacuation of safety vessel 24. When the desired pressure isreached in vessel 24, valve 98 is closed and pump 92 is shut off toawait firing of the explosive event in vessel 1.

Valves107 and 108 and low pressure gauge 109 are provided to monitor theatmosphere within safety vessel 24 after an explosive event. Lowpressure gauge 104 and high pressure gauge 105 are provided to monitorthe bleeddown of confinement vessel 1 (and safety vessel 24, ifrequired). Bleeddown of vessel 1 is accomplished by closing valve 101and opening valves 93, 94, 99, and 103 and valves 22. Gases from vessel1 pass through filter 110 where toxic or radioactive components areremoved. The flow of gas through filter 110 is monitored by flowindicator 11. Prior to commence- I ment of bleeddown through valve 103,which is to atmosphere, asample of the gas coming through filter 110 maybe monitored through sampling valve 102. If monitoring of safety vessel24 shows that confinement vessel 1 has vented into it, bleeddown andflushing of vessel 24 is accomplished by closing valve 93 and openingvalve 95. 'To flush safety vessel 24, additional positive pressure maybe added through valve 107.

Typically, this confinement system is operated as follows. Trailer 32 ispositioned such that region 115 of safety vessel 24 abuts truncatedmetal cone 116 which serves as a blast shield for a source of intensex-rays and is not a part of this invention. Vessel l is positionedinside safety vessel 24 such that x-ray beam 35 will pass through theregion of the explosive event to be studied. The required experimentalarran'gementis made'within vessel 1, all ports are sealed, film packet 9is inserted in plug 7, and vessel 1 is then evacuated through line 6 toa pressure of about 500 microns. Safety vessel 24 is then evacuated to asoft vacuum, i.e., about 12 inches mercury gauge. Evacuation of vessel 1is a critical feature in thatthe substantial absence of air avoids theformation of strong shocks by the explosive event. The absence of suchshocks makes it possible to typically contain the detonation of twice asmuch explosive as is possible with the same vessel at atmosphericpressure. Safety vessel 24 is partially evacuated so that in the eventof accidental venting of vessel 1 toxic or radioactive materials willnot be released to the atmosphere. When the system has been suitablyaligned and evacuated, a timing sequence is started wherein theexplosive event is detonated and a pulse ,of intense x-raystransmitted-through the region of interest at the appropriate time. Insome cases the x-ray beam 35 is directed through the wall of vessel 1 isas shown in FIG. 1. In many instances, however, a beryllium window isused to'admit the beam. Such a window 87 is shown in FIG.

4 for use with a 6 ft diameter confinement vessel.

The bursting-charge of confinement vessels evacu- V ated'in theforegoing manner has been determined by Three-Foot Geometry Six-FootGeometry Load (lb) Load (lb) 2 5 3 5 5 5 3 l0 6 l5 7 20 8 26 IO 32 l2*36* Failure 2. Bomb Containment An embodiment of this invention usefulfor complete containment of the energy, detonation products, and anyother products of a bomb or other infernal device is shown in FIG. 8.FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional and schematic view of a quickclosure device which may be used with the embodiment shown in FIG. 8. InFIGS. 8 and 9, confinement vessel 150 is a 6 ft diameter spherical steelshell of nominally 1 inch thick mild steel ASTM A5 16-70a, Gradenormalized). While vessel need not be spherical or substantiallyspherical, it will again be understood that spherical or substantiallyspherical confinement vessels are desired in that they have the greateststrength. Vessel 150 has access ports 151, 152. Large port 151 is themain entry port for placing a bomb or other infernal device in vessel150. Port 151 is of sufficient size that a bomb 2 ft by 2 ft by 2 ft mayreadily be inserted in vessel 150. Smaller port 152 provides access tovessel 150 for vacuum line 153 from vacuum pump 154. Vessel 150 ismounted vertically on trailer 155 so that in the event a bomb shoulddetonate before closure 156 can be sealed in port 151, the force of theblast will be directed upward. Typically, the bomb or other infernaldevice is placed in a netting 157 suspended within vessel 150 such thatthe bomb does not come into contact with the wall of vessel 150. Netting157 may be attached to a supporting structure located within vessel 150proper, or it may preferably be attached directly to closure 156. Crane158 is provided for inserting and removing closure 156 in port 151. Plug159 to port 152 is provided with a shock attenuator and valves similarto shock attenuator 21 and valves 22 shown in FIG. 3. The shockattenuator serves to protect against a direct shock to the valves andother components of vacuum system 160 in the event that a bomb isdetonated in vessel 150. Plug 159 may also be fitted with electricalfeed-throughs. Such feedthroughs may be used for an electrical firingcircuit to a small shaped charge located within vessel 150 and sodirected as to dismantle or otherwise disrupt a bomb or other infernaldevice when the shaped charge is detonated. Trailer 155 is provided witha power supply 162 for operating the various mechanical and electricalsystems associated with crane 158, vacuum system 160, etc. Trailer 155may further be provided with shielding means 161 behind which anoperator controlling the various equipment on trailer 155 may stand.Alternatively, shielding means 161 may be located on a truck or othervehicle used to transport trailer 155. Although shielding means 161 isshown with a blast window 163 allowing an operator direct visualobservation of vessel 150 and crane 158, shielding means 161 may as wellbe fitted with periscope means for indirect observation. Shielding means161 is fitted with control means for operating the equipment mounted ontrailer 155.

It will be readily understood that a primary interest of a bomb disposalsquad will be the transfer of the bomb to within vessel 150 and thesealing of closure 156 as rapidly and as safely as possible. With thisend in mind, it is highly desirable that closure 156 to port 151 befitted with quick closing means. One type of quick closing meansamenable for use with this embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG.9. Port 151 has attached a circular flange 164 having recess 165 locatedalong the bottom portion of its inner edge. Flange 164 may be attachedto port 151 by means of bolts or screws 166 similar to the socket headcap screws 90 shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. Mounted on the outer face ofclosure 156 are a plurality of hydraulic rams 167 by which a pluralityof wedges 168 may be rapidly driven into recess 165 thus sealing closure156 into port 151. Rams 167 are operated by means of gas pressuresupplied from source 169 through flexible line 170. Source 170 mayreadily be a high-pressure gas bottle stored on trailer 155.

A suggested operational sequence for bomb disposal is as follows. Boom171 of crane 158 is rotated to the side of trailer 155 and lowered to aheighth wherein net 157 is readily accessible for receiving a bomb froma bomb disposal officer standing alongside trailer 155. Because it isimperative from a safety standpoint that bombs and other infernaldevices be jarred as little as possible, a set of safety interlocks isincorporated into crane 158 wherein boom 171 must be elevated at asufficient angle to ensure an adequate clearance between the bottom ofloaded net 157 and the top of port 151 before boom 171 can be rotatedover vessel 151. The safety interlock system operates to halt therotation of boom 171 when closure 156 is centered over port 151. Asshown in FIG. 9, the bottom portion of closure 156 and the inner lowerportion of port 151 are tapered 172, so that should a slight mismatchbetween closure 156 and port 151 exist, there will be an automatic tendency for them to line up as closure 156 is lowered into port 151.During the time that closure 156 is being lowered into port 151, thusinserting the bomb or other infernal device into vessel 150, it ispreferred that vacuum system 160 be operating. It is critical to thisinvention that a substantial vacuum be drawn in vessel once port 151 issealed with closure 156. When closure 156 is fully inserted into port151, a quick closure means such as that illustrated in FIG. 9 is used toseal port 151 closed. Trailer 155 may then be transported to anappropriate bomb disposal area for disposition of the bomb containedwithin vessel 150.

It will be apparent that numerous components of the several embodimentsof this invention disclosed herein are interchangeable. It will befurther apparent that the confinement vessel utilized with thisinvention need not be made of mild steel nor have a wall thickness of 1inch. Those knowledgeable in the art will be aware of other wallmaterials and thicknesses that may be used with this invention. Finally,it will be apparent that the manner in which a shaped charge may be usedto disrupt or dismantle a bomb or other infernal device can clearly beinferred from the disclosure herein made and the illustration of FIGS. 3and 5.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for completely containing the energy, detonationproducts, and any other products of an explosive event which comprises aconfinement vessel, access means to the interior of said vessel, closuremeans for said access means, support means within said vessel forholding an explosive to be detonated, said explosive having no directcontact with the walls of said vessel, and means for producing asubstantial vacuum within said vessel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said confinement vessel is sphericaland said access means is a plurality of access ports.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means for saidexplosive is mounted to said closure means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vessel contains means forrapidly reducing the kinetic energy of metal driven to high velocity bysaid explosive event.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for rapidly reducing thekinetic energy of said metal comprises in combination in spacedrelationship a plurality of concentric metal hemispheres, saidhemispheres being so oriented in relation to said metal that when saidmetal is driven to high velocity it impinges upon the innermost of saidhemispheres.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said closure means is a quickclosure device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 having a safety vessel surrounding andencompassing said confinement vessel and means for producing a softvacuum within said safety vessel.

1. An apparatus for completely containing the energy, detonationproducts, and any other products of an explosive event which comprises aconfinement vessel, access means to the interior of said vessel, closuremeans for said access means, support means within said vessel forholding an explosive to be detonated, said explosive having no directcontact with the walls of said vessel, and means for producing asubstantial vacuum within said vessel.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said confinement vessel is spherical and said access means is aplurality of access ports.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidsupport means for said explosive is mounted to said closure means. 4.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vessel contains means for rapidlyreducing the kinetic energy of metal driven to high velocity by saidexplosive event.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means forrapidly reducing the kinetic energy of said metal comprises incombination in spaced relationship a plurality of concentric metalhemispheres, said hemispheres being so oriented in relation to saidmetal that when said metal is driven to high velocity it impinges uponthe innermost of said hemispheres.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid closure means is a quick closure device.
 7. The apparatus of claim1 having a safety vessel surrounding and encompassing said confinementvessel and means for producing a soft vacuum within said safety vessel.